On the Road

Volunteer after trip to records officeOne of our volunteers has travelled to Hertfordshire Record Office to examine documents from the Ashridge Collection relating to Whitchurch.

Records dated 1762 & 1763 list purchase of land and property from the Bridgewater Estate. But more importantly, for our project, the occupiers are also listed. The land and property being enfranchised by Bridgewater tenants was situated both in the surrounding countryside as well as the town. Fields, gardens and houses were included.

From this visit, over 30 new names have been added to our All Our Stories Whitchurch Names project.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/on-the-road/

1000 Record Landmark

Over 1000 records have been entered in to the Names Index, from these we have extracted 400+ individual surnames relating to Whitchurch.

We have also started work on our database, which when complete will able us to search for a surname and subsequently, display all the information we hold on it; including a reference back to the source material.

We still have a long way to go but are making great progress.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/1000-record-landmark/

The Story so Far …..

We have been busy collecting information relating to the project, team members have been searching records at Shropshire Archives, on-line records, or hands on in the graveyard cutting back the undergrowth!

So far we have started data sets for:

  • Apprentices
  • Bankrupts & solicitors
  • Disorder
  • Fire Assurance
  • Newspaper & Printed Material
  • Rate Books
  • St Alkmund’s Donations
  • Trade Directories
  • WHSHC Collection
  • Workhouse
  • Inns & Alehouses
  • Poor Relief
  • Military
  • Non-Conformist Records

 

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/the-story-so-far/

Alehouse Recognizances

Alehouse Recognizances were early public house licences. The licensee and those who stood surety for them had to appear before the licensing justices every year. A specified sum of money would be paid over to the court as a guarantee for their future good behaviour. Any breach of the conditions would mean the forfeiture of the money and their licence. 

The Quarter Session Records at Shropshire Archives contain the identities of Alehouse keepers for the Whitchurch area and those that stood surety for them. The name of the Inn is given plus the parish or township it is situated in. 

One of our volunteers has been transcribing this information

In 1822 there were a number of women licensees in the Whitchurch area. Ursula Wright was running the Royal Oak in DodingtonMary Sandland was running the Plumes of Feathers in Dodington, Elizabeth Morgan was running the Bakers Arms in Dodington and Elizabeth Carterson was running the Horse & Jockey in Whitchurch.

Horse & Jockey

 The Horse & Jockey will be on our Whitchurch Inns & Pubs walking trail.

Sadly the property has been left empty for a number of years and is deteriorating rapidly.

 

 

 

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/alehouse-recognizances/

21st Century Whitchurch Volunteers

Four present-day Whitchurch volunteers researching the 1803 Whitchurch Volunteers at Shropshire Archives.

Shropshire Archives

Shropshire Archives

Reference to the Whitchurch Volunteers has been found in a letter written by the Reverend Edmund Butcher to a lady during the summer of 1803. 

volunteers

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/21st-century-whitchurch-volunteers/

19th century Whitchurch Volunteers

Infantry ManResearch has started at Shropshire Archives for the Whitchurch ‘All Our Stories’ project.

Members of the group are currently working through an 1803 enrollment register for the Loyal Whitchurch Corps of Volunteer Infantry.

In 1794 the British government feared that the French would invade and encouraged towns to form local defence regiments.

The enrollment register provides the project with much information about hundreds of Whitchurch men and their families in the first decade of the nineteenth century.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/19th-century-whitchurch-volunteers/

Welcome

This is the blog for our Heritage Lottery Funded project – All Our Stories, the story of everyday people in 18th and early 19th century Whitchurch. Subscribe to our Project Diary for the latest news or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.allourstories.whitchurch-heritage.co.uk/welcome/